Principal Officer, Communication at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Grade: P5
Status: Permanent
Institution: ECOWAS Parliament
Division: Communication
Line Supervisor: Secretary-General
Supervising: Communication Officer
Directorate: Office Of The Secretary General

Role Overview

• Under the supervision of the Secretary General, the incumbent will ensure effective dissemination of information at the Parliament and its activities to all the Community citizens.peoples. He / She will also ensure enhanced and continuous visibility of the Parliament’s activities and programmes.

Role and Responsibilities

• Plan, co-ordinate and supervise the work of the Communication Division by managing the communications risks and opportunities of the institution.
• Lead in the formulation of a communication policy for the Parliament to ensure effective dissemination of information on the Parliament to all the peoples of the Community.
• Partner with relevant officials of the institution to effectively communicate specific messages to target groups / audiences.
• Formulate a Communication Plan to drive the institution’s Strategic Plan and monitor and evaluate its impact within the framework of desired outcomes.
• Formulate the annual work plans including the budget estimates of programs of the Division drawn from the overall organizational Strategic Plan.
• Identify or recommend appropriate communication infrastructure for the Parliament in line with ECOWAS policy.
• Ensure effective communications via diverse platforms, to a wide range of stakeholders and Parliament’s constituents including main-stream media, Members of Parliament, employees of Community Institutions, bloggers and new media communities, relevant government ministries and agencies, civil society organizations, partner agencies, religious / cultural leaders, influencers and opinion moulders, the general public, etc.
• Supervise as well as participate in the production of publications, audio-visual documentaries and publicity / PR materials on the Parliament and ensure their wide distribution among diverse relevant publics.
• Advise Management on issues that may impact on the image and reputation of the institution.
• Act as Web Editor for the institution’s website; edit web content and ensure prompt/real-time update of content using a content management system (CMS), to ensure adequate web presence of the institution; Rewrite or adapt contents for the Parliament’s website, intranet as well as the official social media platforms. Develop new content and editorial guidelines.
• Draft speeches, communiques, press releases and reviews.
• Organise public awareness and sensitization campaigns on the Parliament’s activities and programmes.
• Responsible for the general administration of the Division, periodically assessing the human and material resource needs and transmitting same to Management for appropriate action.
• Supervise the training of end users to ensure optimum use of communication infrastructure to advance the course of the Parliament.
• Establish and set up a permanent network of specialised and dedicated media personnel in each Member State and internationally.
• Perform other tasks as may be required

Academic Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Journalism, Public Relations, Mass Communication or related field from a recognized University.
• 10 years responsible experience in journalism, communications, public relations , of which at least 2 years relevant international work and 2 years at a supervisory level;
• Proven competence in developing content and implementing complex communications strategies to broaden awareness of Programmes and priorities;
• Knowledge in drafting communication strategies and plans in order ensure visibility across key audiences, including the media;
• Competence in developing content and implementing complex strategic communications strategies to broaden awareness of Programmes and priorities and increase their visibility across key audiences, including the media;
• Knowledge to provide sound editorial judgment, including on politically sensitive issues and to take decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the organization.

Age Limit:

• Be below 50 years old. This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

ECOWAS Key Competencies:

• Ability to lead in assigned programmes and projects by providing the necessary managerial and operational expertise required for the fulfillment of the organization’s mandate;
• Ability to lead by example and organize teamwork to encourage cooperation to achieve targeted results, champion and build momentum for change and to bring about employee engagement;
• Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner;
• Excellent self-management skills, demonstrating ethics and integrity, confidentiality and displaying due regards for internal controls of rules, delegations and transparency;
• Ability to bring together complementary skills / expertise, assess individual contributions and recognize / address accomplishments and shortcomings in a manner that brings continued success to the organization;
• Knowledge of program management at the level usually acquired from a certification in program management.
• Ability to research benchmarks and trends to bring about the best recommendations for the development and improvement of programs / projects that will best serve the community / organization;
• Well-developed networking and interpersonal skills to seek feedback, information and data from a network of professionals from multiple countries / sectors / organizations and to identify and prioritize the most critical community requirements;
• Ability to manage and co-ordinate client management initiatives and make recommendations;
• Ability to develop and implement best practices in client services;
• Ability to develop and implement stakeholder management plans, programs and initiatives to obtain buy-in on new initiatives, to better understand dissenting views, to obtain resources and to increase perceptions of success.
• Ability to be diplomatic, tactful and respectful of other people from varied backgrounds, understanding diverse cultural views especially within West Africa with the ability to convert diversity into opportunities to improve program/operational outcomes;
• Ability to create a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths bringing together innovative practices;
• Ability to remain objective in managing conflict regardless of cultural differences /positions, gender differences, and encourage other staff to overcome cultural and gender bias and differences;
• Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work;
• Ability to serve the interest of culturally diverse multinational teams / organizations / communities and persons with disability without prejudice and bias
• Understanding of the ECOWAS organizational structure, associated dynamics and expectations as required to collaborate, participate, contribute and lead effectively;
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS mandate, strategic plan / priorities as well as the economic, political and social situation and trends in Member States, as pertains to own scope of work;
• Knowledge of ECOWAS best practices, program management approaches and research techniques to lead and/or contribute to the development or assessment of programs, projects or initiatives;
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS rules and procedures in order to appropriately interpret and apply directive or text, provide technical advice, coach others and assess performance.
• Ability to analyze a situation by using indicators to assess the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success in making decisions;
• Ability to pull together information from different sources to identify the cause of problems, consequences of alternative causes of action, potential obstacles and ways to avoid the problem in the future;
• Ability to break down very complex situations / information into simple terms to explain recommendations and conclusions aimed at solving problems or improving operations / programs / projects;
• Ability to develop new insights into situations, apply innovative solutions to problems and to design new methods of addressing issues or disconnects where established methods and procedures are inapplicable or no longer effective.
• Ability to communicate with impact, clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner conveying credibility & confidence when making presentations, setting expectations and explaining complex issues;
• Ability to listen intently and correctly interpret messages from others and respond appropriately;
• Accomplished technical writing and editing skills;
• Exhibit active listening skills to encourage stronger communication amongst team members and to  drive employee engagement in all institutions and agencies;
• Ability to give constructive feedback, provide recognition, address shortcomings and motivate direct reports to work at peak performance;
• Proficiency in information communication technologies(ICT);
• Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
• Organizational and project / program management skills with significant experience identifying timelines, targets, costs and resources necessary to deliver on operational / program / project outputs in line with result based management approach;
• ability to set effective goals and targets for self, others, and the work unit and adjusting work or project priorities in response to changing circumstances;
• Ability to use participatory approach in project planning and identify gaps affecting the achievement of program / project expectations and to design and implement intervention plans required to build the desired task;
• Ability to implement rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices and to set in place regular reporting schedules relevant to key outputs;
• Ability to plan, organize, control resources, and to comply with policies, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Annual Salary
UA66, 123.98, USD104, 330.42